LPCC Counseling Theories and Techniques 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which theoretical orientation holds that psychological distress arises primarily from unconscious conflicts and unresolved developmental issues?
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
- Psychodynamic Theory (Correct answer)
- Person-Centered Therapy
- Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Correct answer: Psychodynamic Theory
Psychodynamic theory, rooted in Freudian psychoanalysis, posits that unconscious conflicts and early developmental experiences drive current psychological symptoms.
Question 2: In Person-Centered Therapy, which of the following is considered a core condition necessary for therapeutic change?
- Interpretation of dreams
- Unconditional positive regard (Correct answer)
- Behavioral reinforcement
- Rational disputation
Correct answer: Unconditional positive regard
Carl Rogers identified unconditional positive regard—accepting the client without judgment—as one of the three core conditions (along with empathy and congruence) required for therapeutic growth.
Question 3: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based primarily on the principle that:
- Behavior is shaped entirely by unconscious drives
- Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected and influence one another (Correct answer)
- The therapeutic relationship is the sole agent of change
- Symptoms resolve when early trauma is abreacted
Correct answer: Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected and influence one another
CBT rests on the cognitive model, which holds that maladaptive thoughts contribute to distressing emotions and problematic behaviors, and that changing thoughts can change feelings and actions.
Question 4: Which technique is central to Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) developed by Albert Ellis?
- Free association
- Disputing irrational beliefs (Correct answer)
- Systematic desensitization
- Narrative re-authoring
Correct answer: Disputing irrational beliefs
REBT centers on the ABC model, where the therapist actively disputes (D) irrational beliefs (B) that result from activating events (A) and produce emotional consequences (C).
Question 5: A counselor using Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) would most likely ask which type of question?
- 'Tell me about your earliest memory of this problem.'
- 'What would be different in your life if this problem disappeared overnight?' (Correct answer)
- 'What defense mechanisms are you using to avoid this issue?'
- 'How does your family of origin contribute to this pattern?'
Correct answer: 'What would be different in your life if this problem disappeared overnight?'
The 'miracle question' is a hallmark SFBT technique that invites clients to envision a preferred future without the problem, helping identify concrete goals and exceptions.
Question 6: In Gestalt therapy, the concept of 'unfinished business' refers to:
- Incomplete treatment plans in the client's chart
- Unexpressed feelings from past experiences that affect present functioning (Correct answer)
- Goals the client has not yet accomplished in life
- Pending referrals that a counselor has not followed up on
Correct answer: Unexpressed feelings from past experiences that affect present functioning
Gestalt therapy holds that unresolved emotional experiences ('unfinished business') from the past intrude into present awareness and behavior, blocking full contact and growth.
Question 7: Adlerian therapy places central importance on which concept when understanding client behavior?
- Operant conditioning
- Social interest and striving for superiority (Correct answer)
- Transference and countertransference
- Cognitive schemas
Correct answer: Social interest and striving for superiority
Alfred Adler emphasized that human behavior is goal-directed, with people striving for superiority and significance, ideally channeled through social interest (Gemeinschaftsgefühl) for healthy functioning.
LPCC Counseling Theories and Techniques 1
Which theoretical orientation holds that psychological distress arises primarily from unconscious conflicts and unresolved developmental issues?